GRAFT-POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLAMIDE ONTO LLDPE FILM BY ELECTRON-BEAM PREIRRADIATION IN AIR OR ARGON .1. INFLUENCE OF DOSE, GRAFTING TEMPERATURE, AND MONOMER CONCENTRATION

Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) film was irradiated by electro n beam in air or argon prior to grafting in aqueous solutions of acryl amide containing 0.05% of Mohr's salt. The grafting kinetics was studi ed with pre-irradiation doses in the range of 2.5-25 Mrad and in the t emperature range of 40-70 degrees C. Grafting rates and final degrees of grafting were higher for LLDPE pre-irradiated in air than for LLDPE pre-irradiated in argon. The overall activation energies for the graf ting reaction were dose-dependent. Above 5 Mrad, the overall activatio n energies were higher for LLDPE pre-irradiated in argon which is inte rpreted as being due to crosslinking of the LLDPE. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.